Social Media Influence, Brand Reputation, and Electronic Word-of-Mouth Marketing: A Structural Equation Model on Consumer Purchase Decision Making on Apparel Businesses

In the digital age, consumer purchasing decisions are significantly influenced by social media, brand reputation, and electronic word-of-mouth marketing, with consumers increasingly relying on online platforms and peer reviews for their choices. This study aimed to develop a causal model examining the influence of social media, brand reputation, and electronic word-of-mouth marketing on purchasing decisions and to determine the best-fit model for understanding purchasing decisions in the apparel industry. The researchers utilized a quantitative, non-experimental design and applied Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze data from 200 consumers in Santo Tomas. Respondents were chosen using convenience sampling techniques. Various data analysis methods were utilized, including the mean, the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient, Multiple Regression Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), based on responses gathered from four adapted questionnaires. The findings indicated that the exogenous variables, social media influence, brand reputation, and electronic word-of-mouth marketing, had very high levels of impact on the endogenous variable of consumer purchase decision-making and were consistently evident in the apparel sector. These factors were strongly linked to consumer purchasing decisions, with social media influence being the most significant. The analysis shows that social media and brand reputation were key in predicting purchases, making them the best-fit model. To improve consumer decisions, strategies may leverage social media marketing and build a strong brand reputation through customer orientation and a commitment to social and environmental responsibility. Future researchers may conduct studies investigating factors that might influence consumer choices, such as impulsive buying tendencies and psychological attitudes.